Proportioning valve



7 Jan. 25, 1938 A. C. MEAGHER PROPORTIONINGVVALVE Original Filed May 14, 1934 2 Sheets-Sheet l Jail. 25, 1938.

PROPORTIONING VALVE Original Filed May 14, 1934 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 A. c. MEAGHEHR 2,106,572

Patented Jan. 25, 1938 UNITED STATES PROPORTIONING VALVE Andrew Charles Meagher, Los Angeles, Calif.

Application May 14, 1934, Serial No. 725,806 Renewed July 7, 1937 I 6 Claims.

It is the object of the invention to provide a 'l ged and accurately operating valve structure capable of subdividing a fluid into two paths in any desired proportions. The valve in accordance with the instant invention is particularly applicable to fractionating systems of the type disclosed in US. Reissue Patent No. 17,595, February 18, 1930, wherein flow boxes are utilized to subdivide a descending column of liquid in predetermined proportions, a portion of this liquid being conducted into the fractionating column as" reflux liquid and another portionthereof be- 7 ing conducted to another destination such as a storage tank.

" The proportioning or side out valve in accord- I ance with the instant invention may also be used in a reverse direction for the purpose of admitting and mixing any desired proportions of two "fluids and delivering them through a common Other objects and purposes of the invention will appear from the following detailed descrip- .tion fof' two preferred embodiments thereof,

,1 taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein 1 Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the valve structrue, f

jQjFig- 2, is a longitudinal sectional view, with certainparts in elevation, of one form of valve in accordance with the invention,

fjder shown'in'Figs. 2 and 3,

5 is a sectional view, with certain parts in elevation, of another embodiment of the invention, and

f jj Q Flg. 6 is a sectional view along lines 66 of ""jF i In the drawings, l represents an outer casing defining a chamber for the fluid material intro- Within this casing is a cylindrical inner wall 2 having extensions 3 and 4 upon the opposite ends of casing I for leading away the portions of the fluid which is subdivided. A hollow rotary piston 6 having a transverse partition I therein is mounted for rotation in the bore 2 and is actuated by a suitable driving mechanism connected to the piston rod l6. Piston rings 36 at the ends of the piston serve to assure a tight fit for the piston. The transverse partition I sepduced intothe valve through the inlet opening 5.

arates the hollow piston 6 into two chambers open at the ends of the piston and having lateral walls 8 and 9 respectively. A series of longitudinal slots III of different lengths are distributed around the periphery of the lateral wall 8. A series of longitudinal slots II in alignment with slots ID are distributed around the periphery of the lateral wall 9. The respectively aligned longitudinal slots in and II are complementary and their combined area is the same for each pair of longitudinal ports. For the purpose of increasing the strength of the piston, the longer ones of these ports may be reinforced by supplementarybridge members 31 at their mid-portions. A single longitudinal port I2 in the bore 2, at least as long. as the longest port l0, provides communication between the chamber formed by easing I and the chamber defined by lateral wall 8. Similarly a longitudinal port [3 in the bore 2 cooperates with the ports II in the lateral wall 9 of the piston. The ports l2 and I3 are separated by a bridge portion II.

A developed view of the piston in Fig. 2 is shown in Fig. 4. This piston is designed for the purpose of obtaining difierent proportions of the fluid, ranging from 10 to in each outlet chamber, of the total amount of fluid introduced into the casing I. By increasing the number of pairs of longitudinally aligned ports in the lateral wall of the piston, any desired degree of fractionating may be obtained. Thus, if nineteen pairs of ports were provided in the cylinder wall, the fluid could be apportioned between the two outlet chambers in any desired ratio ranging from 5 to As shown in Fig. 3, bridges I1 separate the several pairs of ports around the periphery of the piston cylinder. If desired, a bridge l'l' may be provided to completely out off communication from the chamber in casing i and the outlet chambers opening into extensions 3 and 4.

The valve shown in Figs. 2 to 4 is operated by rotating the piston rod l6, which may extend from the valve through a stuiling box or the like, by any suitable mechanism so that the ports l2 and I3 register selectively with any pair of ports [0 and II to efiect the desired division of the fluid entering the inlet opening 5 between ports l0 and II, which in turn communicate with suitable outlets connected with the exten-- sions 3 and I. 1

In the form of the invention illustrated in Figs. 5 and 6, in which like elements bear the same designations as in the first embodiment, a reciprouting piston 6, open at the ends, is employed instead of a rotary piston and the longitudinal movement thereof determines the subdivision oi! the fluid entering the inlet opening I among the two outlets 3 and 4. The piston 0 is illustrated in the drawings as having {our ports 2! separated by bridges 22 in the lateral wall 8 thereof, while four ports 21 separated by bridges 23 are provided in lateral wall 9 thereof. Four ports 24 sep' arated by bridges 2 are provided in the inner wall 2 of the casing i for cooperation with the ports 20 in the piston. Likewise tour ports 2!, separated by bridges 21, are provided in the inner wall 2 of the casing l for cooperation with the ports 2|. The ports or passages 24 and 25 are of the same length as the ports 2. and 2| in the piston and are displaced from each other the distance between the ports 2' and 2| diminished by the extent or the axial length oi these ports. Thereby when ports 21 and 24 are in lull registry, the ports 2! and 2! are completely blocked from registry with each other. A gradual decrease of the amount of registry between the ports 20 and 24, controlled by an axial movement of piston rod it, eflects a corresponding increase in the extent of registry between the ports 2| and 25.

The construction illustrated in Figs. 5 and 6 makes possible a subdivision of the fluid entering the casing I through inlet opening I in any desired proportions ranging from 0 to Whereas this embodiment of the invention is shown having groups of tour ports for eiiecting registry between the movable members, a single port or any other member in lieu of the groups of four ports could be used for obtaining the same result.

Although the invention has been described in conjunction with a specific application, the valve is capable of operating in a reverse manner by utilizing the extensions 3 and 4 as inlets for variable amounts of fluid materials in which 5 is a common outlet for the mixture of these materials. other modifications may be made to the valve structure disclosed herein without departing from the spirit of the invention, as defined in the accompanying claims.

What I claim is:

1. In a valve of the class described, a housin with an inner wall therein defining a chamber. an inlet opening in said chamber for a fluid material, a member having a lateral surface slidable within said inner wall, said member having two chambers formed therein each having an outlet opening on opposite ends oi said member, at least one port of predetermined length appurtenant each chamber in the lateral wall oi said member. ports in said inner wall of said predetermined length but spaced apart the distance between said first-mentioned ports less said predetermined length, and means for moving said member longitudinally of said housing or electing a variable amount of registry between said ports and a difierent apportionment of the fluid material admitted lnto said first chamber between the two chambers in said member.

2. In a valve of the class described, two relatively rotatable members, one or said members having two chambers each provided with an opening for the passage oil a fluid, the other oi! said members having a single chamber adjacent both chambers of said first member, the chambers of said two members being separated from each other by two contacting cylindrical walls respectively forming a part of said members, one of said cylindrical walls having therein two series of oppositely graduated ports respectively appurtenant to the two chambers 01 said first member, the other or said walls having ports for selectively uncovering the ports of said two series in pairs, each pair having the same total area.

3. In a valve of the class described, a housing with an inner cylindrical wall therein spaced from said housing to form a chamber therebetween, an inlet opening in said chamber for a fluid material, a cylindrical member having a lateral wall rotatable within said inner wall, said member having two chambers -iormed therein having outlet openings respectively at opposite ends or said member, said member having two scrim oi oppositely graduated ports respectively appurtenant to said two chambers, and port means in said cylindrical wall for selectively uncovering the ports of said two series in pairs, each pair having the same total area.

4. In a valve 0! the class described, two relatively movable members, one comprising a single chamber with an opening therein, the other comprising two separate chambers each having an opening, said members having mutually contacting walls separating said single chamber from said two separate chambers, said walls containing coacting ports for admitting a flow of fluid between said single chamber and each of said separate chambers, said ports being arranged so,

that relative movement of said members changes the ratio of aperture area permitting flow between said single chamber and the respective separate chambers, while maintaining a constant total aperture area.

5. In a valve of the class described, a casing having an opening for the passage of a fluid, an inner sleeve traversing said chamber, a valve movable within said sleeve and comprising a hollow member open at both ends and divided into two chambers by a partition, said valve and sleeve having cooperating ports for admitting a now or fluid between the space within said casing and the respective chambers of said valve, said ports being arranged to change the aperture area determining the ratio of flow between the spacewithin said casing and the respective chambers of said valve as the latter moves, while maintaining a constant total aperture area.

6. In a valve of the class described, a casing having an opening for the passage 01 a fluid, an inner sleeve traversing said chamber, a valve slidable longitudinally within said sleeve and comprising a hollow member open at both ends and divided into two chambers by a partition, said valve and sleeve having cooperating pairs oi ports of the same length, the ports in said sleeve being spaced apart a distance which is diflerent than the distance between the ports in said valve by an amount equal to the length or said ports. 

